Metrolinx announced yesterday that two of its tunnel boring machines had reached the halfway point of their journey in the Eglinton Crosstown light-rail transit project in Toronto.

Working on the 6.2-mile western segment of the tunnel, the machines now need to be extracted from the ground at Allen Road, moved across Eglinton Avenue and reinserted on the east side of Allen Road, Metrolinx officials said in a press release.

"It's great to see we've reached another milestone on this important transit project that will benefit Toronto riders," said Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca.

To be integrated with existing Toronto Transit Commission and GO Transit services, the $5.3 billion (in Canadian dollars) project began in 2011 at Black Creek Drive and Eglinton Avenue. The two boring machines began tunneling from the west in June 2013.

Tunnel boring machines digging from the east will begin their work in late fall, after construction is completed at Eglinton Avenue and Brentcliffe Road.